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Chapter 5: The Encounter
The group was riding west. It was not the best day for travelling. The sky was concealed by threatening black clouds and the storms were often in the kingdom of Artemisia. However, Alan did not feel concerned about this, since Yolan was about half a day away from his kingdom. Alan had not been in this territory before. He let himself be amazed by the wonderful scenery surrounding him. The trees on his right and left were tilting towards him, resembling a guardian wishing to protect him from the forthcoming storm and all the evil in the world. The ground and the vegetation had light blue and crystal colors, due to the heavy snowing that occurs in this area most of the year. Alan had not seen the elves before, but he could hear their laughter behind the woods. The forest animals and creatures were accompanying him to his destination, and that made him feel more secure about his first mission as a knight of Artemisia. Milianna was not as secure as Alan. She clenched Elementaris with her one hand. She had somewhat of a premonition, but she prevented herself from mentioning it to Alan or his father. This would directly lead her to be classified as a coward by the royal man accompanying him and she certainly did not want that. Not after doing her best to prove to him that they are equal in combat. So she decided to remain alert until they reached their destination. After about three hours of silent riding, the environment in front of them began to change. They could see…water. It was the lake of Yolan, at last. Once they reached the clearing, the view was even more magnificent than before. In front of them a lake was located, surrounded by endless cypresses, as tall as what Alan imagined a giant to be. He felt like he was trespassing sacred grounds, as he and his men broke the eternal peace of this place. Alan ordered the men to leave their horses there and get down. Milianna imitated them and followed Alan. As a magical being, she was overwhelmed by the immeasurable magical force she was feeling around her. The others could not feel it, but she could. The best she could do was report to the man leading the mission. “It looks like the rumors were right. I can feel the magical aura of this place. It really is as great as it was reported to be…” she admitted. “Can you sense where it is emitted from?” Alan asked. Milianna hesitated for a moment. “It should be the lake…” she reluctantly answered. Alan, Milianna and Osgard’s men curiously walked towards the lake. The icy wind was now forcefully rapping them. Raindrops started falling from the dark sky. Although they fell sporadically at the beginning, resulting in a slight sprinkle, it soon resulted in a heavy freezing rain. However Alan and Milianna did not stop moving and walked closer to the water. Alan knew that neither he and Milianna nor his soldiers would be able to stay there at such conditions and it was too risky staying close to the water like that. That’s why this mission had to come to an end as fast as possible. If a source of magic hided inside the waters, the only way to lure it out was by force. He lifted the Deathbringer. Then, with all his might, he lowered the sword, slashing the water of the lake in half. He did that, just as Milianna noticed a shadow lurking in the waters close to them. Unfortunately, she had no chance to warn him. As one would expect the waters to return to their original place, they did not. The line on which the Deathbringer had slashed remained intact across the lake. It looked like the waters were…subsiding. They gathered right and left to the slash of Alan’s sword. The waves were making way for something. Something that was slowly rising. Then a piercing, unearthly scream made Alan, Milianna as well as Alan’s soldiers to kneel and seal their ears with all their might. The rain then attacked them, burying them under the water. Alan used the Deathbringer as a supportive item to get on his legs again. Milianna did the same with Elementaris. Scared beyond words, they suddenly felt the urge to abandon the mission while they were still alive. However, Alan could not do that, while the knights of Artemisia were watching him. But Milianna could get away. “Go back!” Alan ordered the young woman. We woke something up, and if it is what I suspect it is, we will all die here.” Milianna suddenly remembered. All those folklore stories about the guardian of Yolan. In the past she had always discarded those stories as fairy tale for little children. However, it seemed like they were not fairy tales at all. She realized that upon opening her eyes. She had never seen anything taller. No story had ever scared her as a child as much as the feeling that was now in her heart. It was a mythical being, being so tall that it would even be able to reach the moon with its claws. Its deadly claws. Its face was indescribable. It was the epitome of death itself. While having traits of a dragon, it did not have wings. More like, huge fins that looked like wings. There was no doubt. Alan had awaked Leviathan, the sea king. The creature screamed once again, forcing them to kneel before it once again. However this time the scream was followed by a deadly attack by its claws. The paralyzed soldiers had no chance of dodging, and Alan knew that. He did not bother looking behind him. He knew that a lot of his men, if not all, now where dead. All he could do, as a leader, was save the rest of his allies. “RUN AWAY!” He screamed. “THERE IS NO CHANCE WE DEFEAT THAT MONSTER!” However, once again he was too late, as the deadly monster finished off the rest of his soldiers. In a burst of rage, Alan gathered all his strength and courage and attacked the monster’s belly, that was out of the water. Undamaged, the creature shook Alan away. Milianna was paralyzed from terror. However, seeing Alan fight like a hero rather than a child she always thought he was, helped muster all her courage and physical strength and get on her feet. She murmured some words lost in the centuries, and cast a spell on Alan. He was immediately overflowed with energy and glanced at his companion. “Run away, didn’t you hear me? Do you want to die here with me?” Alan said. “I don’t mind…” Milianna said and smiled softly, as she did in the castle whenever he complimented her. “Listen, we’re not going to be defeated here. I have a plan. I casted a spell that raised your strength…now go back and prepare your mightiest attack. We will only have one chance to bring this demon down.” Alan hesitated. “But there’s no way it will allow me this.” Alan said. “It will, I will keep it busy with my spells. Now go!” Milianna answered. She rushed at the monster, while Alan backed off. He did not like the plan, but he had no choice. It was the only chance they had to defeat the ferocious monster. Milianna knew the property of the elements. Water was strong against most elements, but thunder was its only weakness. She chanted a thunder spell to attack the monster, that was ferociously attacking the mass of meat that used to be Artemisian soldiers. “Oh, dark clouds that soar the sky, blessing the earth and the vegetation with your benevolent rain, I ask you to listen to this command of mine. Lend me the power to summon a thunderstorm as strong as to erase the mightiest enemies.” The skies were now growling as the monster turned to the girl that was still chanting. “Crush all my enemies, malevolent clouds, and strike them down dead! I command you; crush them with lightning!” As she muttered those words, the skies opened up and a thunderbolt instantly attacked the monster, that cried in pain, forcing Milianna to fall back. Alan was now gathering all his energy to finish the monster off. Deathbringer was the sword of death. It could consume the handler’s life force in order to become more powerful. It could not be trusted. Alan now could barely stand, but he lavishly gave his life energy away to make his sword stronger and stronger. Kneeling down, when he felt his energy was just enough for him to hold the blade, he rushed at the monster and stabbed its stomach. A terrible energy wave was unleashed, the sea grownling and the trees bowing under this attack. Alan then fell on the ground, almost unconscious, hearing the monster scream in terrible pain. The sea terror was shaking ferociously, sending sound waves towards every direction. However, it was far from dead. Rising the claw, the eerie beast made a move to cut Alan in two, when an unidentified object landed in the monster’s eye. The monster let out a final scream, before vanishing into thin air. A man walked towards Alan, put his shoulder around his head and moved him next to Milianna. Alan did not know how much time had passed when he regained his consciousness. He desperately tried to open his eyes. His vision blurry, all he could make out was Milianna’s swollen face next to him. However, before he could rub his eyes to identify his surroundings, he felt something cold and shart on his neck. “Don’t move. Identify yourselves” a masculine voice pierced through Alan’s mind. Hesitantly, Alan lifted his arms, and introduced himself. “I am Alan, prince of Artemisia. And this woman is Milianna, my companion.” The other man lowered his weapon. Alan rubbed his eyes, and tried to stand up, only to fail, as he realized how much he had exhausted himself. “Now it’s your turn, stranger. Who are you? Are you our savior?” Alan’s eyes finally opened, allowing him to look at the other man. He was around his age, if not a bit less. Just a boy. Yet, his eyes looked like they had more than a thousand tales to tell. However, he was tall and built, with dark skin, allowing only his young face to tell his true age. He looked hesitant for a while, the one time looking at Alan and the other at Milianna. “My lord, I am Akhel. Forgive me, but I will have to take your lives, for the sake of Yolan.”